Inhaler.



F. HEILMAN.

INHALBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 17, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914 E STATES PATE FREDERICK HEILMAN, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

INHALER.

Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and4 State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Inhalers; andI I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in inhalers.

One objectief the invention is to provide an inhaler adapted to be secured to the head over the nose and having an improved construction and arrangement of the medicament receptacle detachably engaged with the' body of the inhaler whereby the latter may be readily removed and opened for renewing the medicament holding material.

Another object is to provide an inhaler of the character described having an improved construction and arrangement of valves for controlling the inhaling and exhaling of the air.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and the co-mbination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: 'Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved yinhaler illustrating the manner in which the same is used; F igf2 is a bottom plan view of the inhaler; Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross seetional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

My improved inhaler comprises a substantially triangular hollow body l which may be constructed of any suitable material and which is open at both ends. The inner end of the body 1 is preferably shaped to fit comfortably against and in close engagement with the face when placed over the nose as indicated in Fig. l of the drawing; On the edge of the inner end of the body is also preferably formed a bead 2, or said edge may be provided with a suitable binding affording a cushion lfor contact with the face, thus preventing the inner end of the inhaler from irritating the skin. In the flat lower side of the body of the inhaler adjacent to the inner end thereof is an exhalation opening 3 which is here shown and is Specification. of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1913.

0 Patented Aug. 4, 1914. Serial N0. 754,019.

preferably of rectangular shape. The opening 3 is covered on the outside of the inhaler by a valve 4 in the forni of a thin piece or sheet of rubber which is simply placed over the opening and is held in operative position on the outside of the inhaler by light spring metal strips 5, the forward ends of which are secured in any suitable manner to the lower side of the body l of the inhaler as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The rear ends of the spring strips 5 are secured to the rubber valve 4 near the ends thereof and are spaced so that they extend past the ends of the opening 3 as shown. The valve 4c is of such construction that when arranged over the opening 3 and supported in the manner described, the gentlest breath exhaled through the nostrils into the body of the inhaler is sulicient to press the intermediate portion of the valve open or away from the outer side of the inhaler, thus permitting the exhaled air to escape between the edges of the valve and the bottom of the inhaler as will be readily understood.

Detaehably engaged with the outer end of the inhaler is a box-like receptacle 6 formed in inner and outer telescopically engaged members 7 and 8 which are substantially triangular or correspond in size and shape to the outer end of the body 1 into which the receptacle is designed to be inserted as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The outer member 8 of the receptacle has a surrounding or side wall which fits slidably into the body 1 as stated, and a fiat outer end wall provided with perforations 10 near its top as best seen in Fig. l and a laterally projecting flange 9 which strikes the outer end of the body when this member is pushed thereinto as seen in Fig. 3. The inner member 7 of the receptacle has a side Wall which is similarly shaped and fits slidably into the side wall of the outer memberas also seen in Fig. 3, and in its flat inner end near the bottom thereof is formed an air inlet opening 11. The opening 11 is here shown and is preferably Vof rectangular shape and over said opening and engaged with the end wall of the member 7 is a valve 12 in the form ofa thin piece or sheet of rubber. The valve 12 is held in place near its ends by spring metal strips 13 the upper ends of which are secured in any suitable manner to the end wall of the member 7 las clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The valve 12 is of such construction that the inhalation of the air through the nostrils lwill open the valve or. lift the edges of the rubber sheet, thus permittingv medicament is placed, preferably through the openings 10. It will be understood that the absorbent material is sufficiently porous and loose to permit the air to pass readily through the same when inhaled by the patient. 'Ihe air when thus drawn through the absorbent material in the receptacle becomes impregnated with the medicament on the vmaterial and the medicament is thus carried into thel nasal passages and lungs of the patient. l

rll`he inhaler may be secured in position over the nose by any suitable supporting means, the same being here shown as a strap 15 which is preferably elastic and provided on o-ne end with a hook 16 adapted to be engaged with aneye 17 secured to the inner end of one side of the inhaler as shown. 'lhe opposite end of the strap 15 may be perinanently secured to the opposite side of the lnhaler or may also be provided with a hook or. other detachable connection.

By providing the inhaler with a removable receptacle "for the medicament holding material and constructing said receptacle in y'fthe manner described it will be seen that the latter may be readily' pushed out of the body oil the inhaler and the receptacle opened to perinltthe absorbent material to be renewed whennecessary.y ltwill also be seen that when 'the inhaler is in use all of the air inhaled'byffthe patient must be drawn through the' `niedicaited material in the receptacle while the exhaled air will pass freely from the body'A of the inhaler through `the disvcharge opening therein.

Vllrom theliforegoing description taken in both ends thereof said body being provided with an opening in the -wall forming sub stantially the bottom` of the same, and an outwardly opening valve arranged over said opening; of a closure for the outer end of said hollow body designed to orm a medicament receptacle consisting of a pair of telescopi'c shells each designed triangular in plan. to conform to the triangular design of said hollow body, the outer telescopic shell fitting snugly between the walls of the outer end of said body and having a plurality of perforations arranged in the base forming the outer wall oit said body, the inner telescopic shell having its base opposed to the base of the outer shell and spaced, from the latter to form an inner wall for the closure of said body, said inner wall being provided with an opening adjacent the lower edge thereof, an encirclingflange formed on the outer edge ofJ the basefportion of said outer shell for abutment with the outer peripheral edge of said hollow body to limit the movement or the receptacle-like closure with respect to the latter and an inwardly opening valve arranged over the opening on the inner wall olf said closure.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED. HlElLll/AN: Witnesses:

DAN L. Parsons, ll/l. E. BRENNAN. 

